Chrysler Fifth Avenue
| Chrysler | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Fifth avenue | |
| Production period: | 1984-1989 |
| Class : | upper middle class |
| Body versions : | limousine |
| Engines: | Otto engine: 5.2 liters (97-104 kW) |
| Length: | 5250 mm |
| Width: | 1839 mm |
| Height: | 1397 mm |
| Wheelbase : | 2865 mm |
| Empty weight : | 1656-1703 kg |
| Previous model | Chrysler New Yorker |
| successor | Chrysler New York's Fifth Avenue |
The Chrysler Fifth Avenue was an upper middle class sedan with rear-wheel drive offered by the US automobile manufacturer Chrysler from 1983 to 1989.
Background: Badge Shifting
After Chrysler discontinued its previous top brand Imperial in 1975 , the New Yorker series was the group's largest and most expensive car model. In the first three years, the New Yorker models were identical to the Imperial LeBaron produced until 1975 ; from 1979 to 1982 Chrysler then offered a redesigned New Yorker based on the company's own R platform . In the summer of 1981 Chrysler completely stopped production of these large sedans, which had not been able to establish themselves on the market.
For the 1982 model year beginning in the fall of 1981, the name New Yorker was retained as the designation of the top model of the Chrysler Group, but it was transferred to a significantly smaller vehicle in a process known as badge sifting in American parlance . The 1982 New Yorker was based on the M platform positioned in the intermediate segment , so that the new car was around 40 cm shorter than its predecessor. From a technical point of view, it was identical to the LeBaron produced from 1977 to 1981, but differed from it through stylistic changes in the roof area. As in previous years, the best-equipped versions of the car were given the designation New York's Fifth Avenue , which should be reminiscent of the street of the same name in New York .
In the 1983 model year, the New Yorker model name was used for two different vehicles:
- As a New Yorker , a high-quality version of the front-wheel drive Chrysler K-Car was used, which was based on the E-platform and with a length of 4700 mm was more than half a meter shorter than last year's rear-wheel drive New Yorker.
- In addition to this compact New Yorker, Chrysler offered a vehicle called New Yorker Fifth Avenue in 1983 . This was the rear-wheel drive vehicle based on the M platform, known from the previous year. The pricing was of particular importance: The smaller, modernly constructed New Yorker was significantly cheaper than the old, rear-wheel drive New Yorker Fifth Avenue.
For the 1984 model year, Chrysler resolved the confusion about the double use of names. The name New Yorker was only used from the front-wheel drive K-car offshoot, while the large, rear-wheel drive sedan was sold as Chrysler Fifth Avenue in the future. The car retained this model designation until production was discontinued in 1989.
Model history
The Chrysler Fifth Avenue, offered from 1984 to 1989, was the Chrysler Group's most expensive passenger car at that time. It was technically identical to the Dodge Diplomat and Plymouth Gran Fury models , which were also based on the M platform, were much more simply equipped and were offered at a price that was 30 percent lower.
technology
From a technical point of view, Fifth Avenue was already "obsolete" when it was launched. It had a simple chassis with rear leaf springs and rigid axles. An eight-cylinder engine with 5.2 liters of displacement served as the drive, which initially delivered 132 hp and from 1985 142 hp. A TorqueFlite three-speed automatic transmission served as power transmission . Fifth Avenue had disc brakes on the front wheels and drum brakes on the rear wheels.
design
Outwardly, Fifth Avenue differed from its cheaper sister models in that it had a vinyl roof that was placed in the Landauer style on the rear of the car, i.e. H. was limited to the C-pillar . A stylistic feature was the vinyl covering of part of the rear side window. This design goes back to a special model of the LeBaron, which was offered in 1980 under the name LeBaron Fifth Avenue Edition . The American Sunroof Company (ASC), which specializes in convertible conversions, produced a total of 650 vehicles in this special series in 1980.
The front section was initially also independent. Here the indicators were arranged horizontally above the four headlights. The Dodge Diplomat adopted this design element in the course of a facelift for model year 1985. The Fifth Avenue was equipped with wire-spoke wheels as standard. Together with the vinyl roof, the car made a decidedly conservative impression.
Furnishing
The interior was of high quality. Electrically operated windows and seats as well as air conditioning were part of the standard equipment, from 1988 a driver airbag was also supplied as standard. On request, the seats could be covered with real leather. The range of available colors was changed a little from year to year, otherwise the vehicle remained without any significant modifications during its construction period. The Electronic Voice Alert (EVA), which announced warnings from the instrument cluster, was available to order .
production
The Chrysler Fifth Avenue was successful in the American market. It regularly achieved high five-digit production figures, and in two years also six-digit production figures. In relation to the M platform models, it was the most successful vehicle in the 1980s. Fifth Avenue sold four times better than the Dodge Diplomat and five to six times better than the Plymouth Gran Fury. Chrysler built over 420,000 copies of Fifth Avenue within six years.
literature
- James M. Flammang, Ron Kowalke: Standard Catalog of American Cars 1976-1999. Krause Publishing, Iola 1999, ISBN 0-87341-755-0 .
Web links
- Chrysler M-Body history including Fifth Avenue on www.allpar.com
- 1984 Chrysler Fifth Avenue sales brochure
- Chrysler Fifth Avenue sales brochure 1987
Individual evidence
- ↑ Auto Catalog No. 28 (1984/85), p. 141.
- ^ Image of the Chrysler LeBaron Fifth Avenue Edition in an advertisement from 1980.